


One Last Thing

by StrawberrySweet



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety Disorder, Consensual Possession, Denial, Denial of Feelings, Depression, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Grief/Mourning, Guilty Max, Jasper does too, M/M, Masturbation, Max can’t forgive himself, Max has one-sided feelings for David, Max is 16, Mental Health Issues, Mother Hen Gwen, On both Gwen and David’s part, Past Child Abuse, Rape, Self-Harm, Slowly turns into unconsensual possession, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-02 20:18:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13325739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrawberrySweet/pseuds/StrawberrySweet
Summary: Jasper’s tired of haunting the forest, but he sees an opportunity to find peace when he stumbled upon Max and David again a few years later.It was supposed to be sweet, simple, and short.





	1. We’ve Met Before

**Author's Note:**

> Some of you are wondering where this might go, but I assure you, you’ll find out soon enough! Muahahaha! >:3

It had been another boring day for Jasper, his only company being the animals and weird, kinky old people getting it on. He was tired of this, of being trapped on this island, but he knew why he remained on this God forsaken island. 

When he was alive, Jasper had been well liked with a crowd somewhere in the background cheering his every move. Admittedly it was weird and just as exhausting, however, at least then he wasn't surrounded by sex maniacs. 

Aside from that, he vividly remembers his life before that one uneventful day. The moment his hand slipped from that steep edge and his body met the ground. He remembers looking into David's eyes, watching as the light left them. It was as if a part of him was lost. Of course, that was understandable considering he had just witnessed a kid die. Ah, yes, David.  
Jasper may have been a ghost, but even so, his chest still ached.

Jasper never saw the kid or even knew what happened until he somehow stumbled back to his poor excuse of a grave. It was a painful reminder of how he died, how he most likely scarred the kid for life. 

Then he’s suddenly pulled out of his thoughts, sobbing echoing throughout the dark valley. Somehow frightened himself, Jasper hid his ghostly presence into thin air, traveling towards the crying. Not too far away, he spotted an older man with bright red hair slumped against the cliff’s steep walls. The familiar presence was in the old Camp’s attire, a yellow shirt tied around his neck. In his hands lied a single dirt stained shoe, one that Jasper knew very well. 

His eyes roamed more over the man’s body, wondering if maybe—

Curious, Jasper willed a pebble to levitate and drop back down instantly. It was quiet over the redhead still sobbing. Determined, Jasper flew a small rock the size of his palms at the walls of the cliff, finally getting the man to look up. 

Sure enough, this guy had the same forest green eyes, still glossed over with tears like the last time Jasper saw him. The skin was sun-kissed, freckles dotting his arms and face. He had already put two and two together, easily figuring out that this had to be the David from all those years ago. 

Oddly enough, seeing David brought a bittersweet feeling in Jasper. If he were human, he would surely feel the bile in his throat rise and his heart hammer. Jasper never knew why he felt the way he did towards the obviously grouchy camper back then, never even knew now why exactly he felt like he was reliving his death. 

Seeing David again should’ve been good, right? 

Jasper sighed, approaching closer towards the ginger, still masking himself from David’s sight. _It’s not exactly an ideal reunion when I’m a ghost and he can’t see me_ , Jasper thought, a frown creeping on his transparent features. Suddenly, David shivered, his crying had seemed to cease a while ago. His eyes were red and puffy, surprisingly complimenting their green color. 

He looked lost in thought, scanning the shoe in his hands. It looked as if he were cradling it, like it was something special, and that made the pain in Jaspers non-existent chest ache even more. 

A realization hit Jasper, one he wasn’t quite fond of. There were lingering feelings and things he wanted to say, but never could given his fate. Then there was David, still obviously grieving, which also contributed to Jasper being stuck here. 

He couldn’t move on, _they_ couldn’t move on and because of this Jasper would surely remain haunting these grounds. And David? He’d continue mourning, for reasons Jasper couldn’t put his finger on. 

“David? David, where the hell are you?” Another strikingly familiar voice to Jasper’s ears. It sounded a little older now as well, but not by much. 

A teenager looking to be around 16, black curly hair hiding bright, emerald green eyes stepped out of nowhere. This must’ve been a camper, although, a seemingly uninterested one. 

Sweat collected towards his forehead, a few stray curls sticking to it. The teen wore skinny, ripped jeans with a black t-shirt on displaying some presumable band name Jasper was unaware of. Wrapped around his waist had been a blue sweater, resembling the one he had worn a few years back. The outfit, of course, was way out of Jasper’s style, his face scrunching up in distaste.

David quickly wiped any remaining tears and blinked rapidly, pulling his frown into a blinding smile. 

“Hey there, buddy! I was just-“ 

“Don’t call me buddy, idiot. And I don’t care what you were doing, let’s just go already. Everyone else already headed back and Gwen sent me here to find you.” Max was avoiding David’s gaze, missing the brief look of sadness that came across his expression. The counselor quickly stood up, placing the shoe back in its place and started for the direction out. 

“It’s been a few years Max. I’d expect you would lighten up on me a little, but it seems you’ve come to dislike me more!” David laughed awkwardly, which came out a little strained. 

“Shut it.” 

Jasper felt pain again and grew angry with Max out of the blue, no- because he was being a square to his childhood friend? Acquaintance?

The dirty blond approached Max to give him a piece of his mind, but stopped when he examined the look in his eyes. 

There was sadness laced in those emerald green eyes, for what, Jasper also didn’t know the reason to. But he was smart and thought of a couple reasons why, which he intended to find out. 

“Hello, Max.” Jasper revealed himself, a smile tugging at his ghostly lips when the teen jumped and practically screamed. “Mind if we chat for a bit?” Fright morphed into confusion and then into realization. 

“J-Jasper, right?” He questioned, earning a nod from the spirit. Max looked back, calling out towards David who had almost slipped out of sight. “I’ll catch up later!” The teen yelled, watching as the counselor turned back and waved in acknowledgment. To this, he chuckled and a grin plastered itself on his face. 

“Stupid...” His face was noticeably tinting a dark red, whether it was from the heat or for something else— Jasper wanted and didn’t want to know at the same time. 

“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk about.” Jasper smirked when Max looked confused yet again, a sort of fear radiating off his aura. “Do you hate David?” 

“Yes.” A curt answer.

“Really?” This time, the teen glanced at the floor, ignoring the question. “Do you want to get closer to David?”

“Hell no!” He was sweating more.

“Is he like a father to you?” Silence. “Max?”

The teen grumbled something under his breath, fists clenching until his knuckles were white. 

“Could you repeat that?” Jasper asked, surprised at the glare thrown his way when Max finally looked up. 

“..I said, that’s how it _should_ feel like.” 

“But?” The ghost pushed further, astonished to find that Max complied, although hesitantly. 

“But, I...” The teen paused, shoving his fists into the pockets of his jeans. “I don’t know, fuck.” There was another awkward silence before Jasper broke it, shock obvious on his ghostly appearance.

“You like him.” Those three words hit Max like a brick, his face becoming impossibly redder and angrier. 

“You don’t know _shit_ , ghost boy!” Max turned, ready to storm off and head back to camp already, but Jasper appeared in from of him once more. 

“Wait! Look, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but can you at least let me ask a favor before you go?” He was desperate at this point and if Max could comply with this, he’d forever be in Max’s debt. 

“What.” The teen spat, his mood visibly soured. Jasper hesitated for a moment, chewing at his transparent bottom lip. 

“I need to borrow your body.”


	2. Wrong and Right

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit rating for , of course, masturbation and low-key suicidal thoughts. 
> 
> Some italic lines are Max’s thoughts or flashbacks!

“You gotta be fucking kidding me.” Max growled once the ghost elaborated on what he meant. Out of anything the kid could’ve asked for, it was to _possess him!_

“Max-“

“No fucking way! What do you even want with my body?!” By now, he had backed away several feet from Jasper, hands raised defensively. He almost felt bad when he saw the kid frown, looking like a kicked puppy. 

Awkwardly, Max shifted from side to side, gnawing at his lower lip. For a while, he contemplated his options, wondering what it’d feel like to even be possessed or how long it would take for whatever Jasper needed to do. As if on cue, Jasper answered his questions. 

“I wouldn’t take long. There’s just something I need to do in order for me to make my peace.” There was an unreadable twinkle in Jasper’s cloudy gaze, causing the teen to shiver. 

“Okay, I — I’ll think about it.” Max brought a hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. There was a pressure squeezing his brain, hurting in some places more than one. It was hot as well, which didn’t necessarily make him feel any better. This dreadful feeling came over him when he saw Jasper smile. Maybe it was because the kid was a freaking ghost or maybe because he had this mischievous look on his face. He really hoped it was the former.

“Anyways, I gotta go. I’m not even sure how to leave.” The teen chuckled nervously, walking away in the direction the counselor had, waving a goodbye to Jasper. The kid nodded, looking just a tad bit disappoint, like he wanted to say something. It was too late, though, because Max was running at this point. 

Thinking about it wasn’t an option, seeing as he wasn’t alone. Not too far along, he bumped into David, waiting for him with that _damned_ smile. 

“Max! I decided to stay in case you got lost!” David beamed, uncrossing his arms from his chest. There was a visible flush on his face, obviously from standing in the sun for a while, which angered Max even more. Who did he think he was, doing things he really didn’t have to do! 

“Didn’t really ask you to.” Max huffed, walking ahead, a small grin tugging at the corners of his lips when he heard the older male trip after him. Not wanting to miss the sight of David caked with dirt, he turned only to be taken aback. That stupid pounding in his chest became erratic when he first gazed at David, already pushing himself up. There was a smudge of dirt on his cheek and nose, face turning red from embarrassment. His nose was also noticeably rosy, red liquid starting to flow from one of his nostrils. As he continues picking himself up, he dusted his clothes, wincing in pain when he moved his legs too quickly. His knees had also taken some damage, a few scratches and marks forming from pebbles and twigs left on the trail. 

“G-gotta take a bath in disinfectant when we get back.” David joked, pathetically attempting to laugh when he was clearly in pain. What made Max’s blood boil and skin crawl was how the counselor’s eyes teared up, shamefully allowing a few tears to stream down his dirt-stained cheeks. 

_God damn it, this is so fucking stupid_

Max bit his lips hard, slowing down so David could catch up. When they were close enough, the teen wrapped his arms around David’s midsection, helping him walk after he started to struggle. The counselor was so lanky, Max knew he could probably pick him up effortlessly. His age had also aided him in that advantage, as he grew about 3 inches taller than David over the years. 

Admittedly, being this close in proximity to the other male was taking a toll on Max, his own legs beginning to feel like jelly. He glanced towards the redhead, watching as he was staring at the shirt wrapped around his neck. A few droplets of blood had been absorbed into the yellow fabric, which brought a grimace to both of their faces.

Surprisingly, David was quiet, too quiet. Usually, he’d try and pull some stupid shit like trying to bond with Max, but today... Dare he ask? 

“You, um, you alright? Not worried or anything, but you’re not being as annoying as you always are.” For a moment, Max panicked, wondering if the counselor had felt his heart beating abnormally or even hear it. To him, his heart was so loud in his ears that it escalated the process of his oncoming headache. Before it was this dull pressure, now it felt like this sharp pain on his temples and in his eye sockets. 

The anxiety that he had unnecessarily built up was dissolving when David replied with a quiet laugh. “I’m fantastic!” Came the reply, flashing another smile displaying shiny, white teeth. However, there was something about it that seemed... _off_ to Max.

Over the years, Max began noticing a few things about the counselor that he hadn’t realized before. Despite his bubbly personality and sparkling appearance, he was hiding something. The teen remembers when he was only 10, witnessing a more unfitting emotion David had expressed. It’s not like it was completely strange that David felt a little blue once in a while, but the counselor had unconsciously let his guard down since then. 

There were moments the older male looked beaten down and broken; other times he would make a humorously dark joke under his breath, but Max _heard it_. And at first? It was kinda funny, refreshing, even. This was a new side that Max found a little comfort in, mainly because it was something he often related to. Only, it got weirder. 

Maybe he didn’t pay much attention before, but as he grew, he definitely became very aware of the counselor. Around the campers, he was this other person full of light and sunshine and all that positive crap. With Gwen? David was calm, only a little more quiet with her than with the campers. 

He remembers vividly looking for both of the counselor’s after an item hunt. Max snickered to himself, assuming they were probably making out secretly. He saw it as an opportunity to probably blackmail them into getting special treatment or at least to help him get out of this stupid camp. What he found instead, Max would never forget. 

Behind one of the counselor’s cabins, Gwen cradled David in her arms, a hand tentatively stroking his red locks of wild hair. Her lips were pursed, shushing him softly, gently. David had been crying, no doubt when the kid then observed his tear stained cheeks and reddened face. His sobs were followed by hiccups, a hand clasped around his mouth to prevent little noises from escaping. So tightly, David clutched to her shirt, shaking — _trembling_ in some sort pain. 

_“David, it’s gonna be alright. You didn’t do anything wrong, the kid’ll forgive you. Dav-David, listen, you didn’t know. C’mon, let’s go clean up your face and get you some water for your...”_

Max couldn’t quite remember after that visual. To see David bawling his eyes out physically pained Max in some way, which frustrated him beyond belief. When he came back to the area crowded with campers, Nikki had approached him, wiggling her eyebrows as she pressed him for what he saw. 

He never did tell her, feeling some sort of... attachment to the knowledge he mistakenly received. What he saw was confidential for sure, so he kept it locked away in the storage of his mind. Several years later, having to remember that was somehow depressing. Even if Max loved causing trouble for David, loved seeing him in pain and dragging him down, he couldn’t bear the sight anymore. His heart would protest numerous times of his teasing or insults hurled at the counselor by sinking to the pits of his stomach and aching horribly. 

The teen was ripped from his thoughts when David called out his name. 

“Huh?” He mumbles, inspecting their surroundings. They were in front of a cabin, one similar to the counselor’s cabins. Somewhere out of the deepest, darkest pits of his mind, he wished it was David’s, curious as to how it looked, smelled— Wait, that’s pretty creepy. Max swatted the thought away mentally, stepping into the comfy cabin only to be welcomed by what looked like a nurse’s office. 

“Thanks for helping me here, Max! You can go if you like, I’m just going to patch myself up.” Again, the stupid redhead threw another one of his infamous smiles. He was kinda disappointed, wanting to stay around the counselor a little longer. Max would never admit it, but despite how fucking crazy his heart was when being around David, he found the counselor’s presence calming. 

Something he never felt around his parents...

“Max?” 

“I heard ya, stop calling my name.” The teen cursed himself silently, a thought of hearing his name being called in a different sense by the older male creeping up on him. “I’m gonna stay here too... I, um, I got a headache.” 

To this, the counselor thrashed about searching through the cabinets. This action caused him to whimper in pain, somehow forgetting that he was injured in places more than one. Still, David found what he was looking for, placing one bottle secretly in his pocket and keeping the other in his palm. Max marked this as suspicious, but decided to stay quiet about it. 

“This should help!” Before Max knew it, David was in front of him with a plastic cup full of cool water and an open bottle with bold letters on the label that read ‘ **IBUPROFEN** ’. A little harsher than he meant to, he snatched the bottle and cup, popping two pills into his mouth and swallowing after a large gulp of water. His hand wiped some remaining water at his mouth, wiping the wetness into the denim of his jeans. 

Unexpectedly, David’s hand rested against his forehead, surprisingly much cooler than his own hands. Max stepped back, face flushing as a scowl settled on his face. 

“What the fuck, David!” He realized his reaction may have been a little dramatic, but it didn’t feel that way. 

“S-sorry, I was checking if you had a fever,” The redhead squeaked, quickly moving his hand away. “You’re definitely hotter than usual, maybe it’s the heat?” In no time, David was scurrying around for a few other supplies, ready to help himself now. 

The words somehow pulled out an odd reaction from Max, his buttons pushed another time that day. David’s simultaneous concern and choice of words made Max become impossibly redder. An image he did not want to see right now was David using the second sentence used in a different setting where they were-

_No, Max, stop thinking about that stupid shit!_

David let out a disappointed sigh, unwrapping the shirt from his neck. Hesitantly, he wiped the remaining blood on his face with the shirt, tossing it onto the counter while he cleaned the rest of his wounds with a warm and wet rag. Max just watched, examining every wince of pain that flickered across the counselor’s expression when he applied a cotton ball tainted with hydrogen peroxide to his injuries. 

Suddenly, David was called from outside, presumably from Gwen. 

“David! Are you in there? Look, some kid climbed up the tree again and some first aid attention would be really helpful right now.” Luckily for the injured camper, David was out and running towards wherever the camper had been, despite the limp he still had. For a brief moment, the door swished open, allowing Max to see David following an anxious Gwen. 

The teen was exhausted from thinking so much and decided it’d be better just to head in for the day. As he discarded his empty cup and settled the bottle of pills on the counter, his eyes settle upon the shirt. It was lying there, taunting Max. He grumbled, cursing himself some more when he had this awful idea to take the shirt with him. After fighting with himself, his shaking fingers clutched the yellow fabric despite the now dry blood on it. 

_You’re fucking disgusting, you know that?_

Max sighed heavily, acknowledging the insult directed to himself and somehow not caring. Wasting no time, the raven haired male walked out of the cabin, yellow shirt tight in his clutches as he hid it behind his back. He didn’t know when it got so dark, but the sun was hanging on the horizon, ready to let the moon illuminate the night. David would probably enjoy this sort of view, with a stupid grin on his face as he went on about some cheesy shit on how beautiful nature was. 

“Max!” He knew the voice all too well. In this moment, though, he really didn’t want to talk to Nikki. The teen just wanted to be alone. “What’re you doing out here, silly? There’s a campfire going on!” 

“Nikki, not right now. I’m tired as shit and I just want some sleep.” His friend seemed to pout, staring at him with this disapproving expression. 

“It’ll be fun! You always end up having fun! But if you really, really want to be left alone that bad, I guess I’ll leave—“ The girl paused as she quickly slid behind Max and tugged at the fabric in his hands. “If you tell me what _this_ is!” 

Max never remembered being so angry, but he was. Carelessly, he snatched the shirt from Nikki and held it close to his chest, spitting venomous insults towards his friend.

“Are you stupid?! What part of ‘not right now’ don’t you get? Leave me the hell alone and go bother someone else!” The reaction he received was one of disbelief, sadness and reciprocated anger. 

“Fine.” Nikki scoffed, bouncing away to the camp fire. 

“Whatever.” Max growled, internally screaming at himself for being such a dick to one of his closest friends. Nikki had been with him through thick and thin, as well as Neil. Although, he wasn’t convinced Neil was in the loop, seeing as he mostly stared at his phone when Max shared any information. The kid was a fucking nerd, how could he expect him to live without his phone for a second? 

Max decided he’d deal with that problem later, since there was a much bigger one at hand in between his legs. Perhaps it was the anger that fueled his arousal, but Max knew what it really was. He hated the fact and threw more insults directed towards himself and at David. 

Quietly, Max crept into his tent and sealed it off, flopping down onto the small air mattress in his tent. It was wise to keep the lights off, Max thought as his free hand dipped down his stomach to undo his jeans, tugging them off forcefully as he lied on his pseudo bed. Through his briefs, he could see the outline of his dick, pulsing and throbbing with the need to release. 

No time was wasted when Max pulled himself out of his undergarments, pumping himself roughly. He wasn’t sure when, but the hand clutching the shirt was placed on his chest, allowing the teen to smell David. David smelled _wonderful_ , like fresh pine and cinnamon, a small amount of musky sweat also seeped in by the fabric. Then there was the blood, smelling coppery, but much to Max’s claim of disgust, he liked it. 

_Fuck, you’re such a pervert._

Max could care less, because he was getting off to it either way. As his thumb slid over his slit gushing with precum, he quietly groaned, imagining David’s slender fingers wrapped around his cock. Or his pretty lips kissing teasingly on the underside of his length, tongue lapping at his dick like a dog with a bowl of water. 

_Great, this again._

It wasn’t odd for Max to imagine David as this submissive pet, obeying the teen as if he were his owner. This was a reoccurring fantasy he couldn’t help but love. To hear David beg and whine like the dog he is, beg for his hole to be fucked, tears streaming down his cheeks as he would finally take Max’s large cock, moaning like a slut for his and only _his_ dick. It’d feel so good that David would come right away, hole fluttering tightly around Max’s length and—

“ _Ooh, shit_.” Max moaned, ropes of white cum staining his hand. He stayed like that for a few moments, basking in the afterglow of his orgasm. The scent of David continuing to sedate him, causing the teen to slowly drift off. With a little bit of a delayed action, Max grabbed a tissue from the Kleenex packet he had stashed next to his mattress and cleaned his hand. 

The tissue was discarded into a small bin full of other used tissues, no surprise there. 

_You’re a piece of shit._

“I know.” Max mumbled in reply, not really caring as he slowly rode the waves of sleep. 

Maybe if Jasper possessed him, he’d die. Somehow, that idea was welcomed. But Max knew that wasn’t right. 

Max knew a lot wasn’t right, especially with him stealing David’s shirt and using it as jacking material. 

It was _wrong_ , but if felt _so right_.


	3. Settled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, I’ve written something that hurt me ^^;

“Good morning, Campers!”

_It’s way too early for this shit_

Max groaned, rolling over onto his stomach as he lazily stretched. The sun glared through the fabric of his tent, shining on his face as if it were some universal message to wake the fuck up. Not really wanting to, Max sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His gaze wandered around the tent and then to himself, remembering last nights antics. The memory only seemed to worsen his morning, already wishing to pull his hair out. It was even worse to think about how this had kept happening every night. 

Max blamed his hormones and puberty, playing it off as some weird bodily function. Although, the back of his mind always pressed at the touchy subject more than necessary. 

_Thinking about only David and getting off to that, ah, yes. That most certainly is your body’s entire fault._

The teen groaned, deciding not to think about it anymore. Instead, he looked through a mound of his clothes, pulling out a pair of jeans and a new shirt. Once he dressed himself, he was ready to go. Except, he spotted something he wanted to burn the moment he saw it. There, on the side of his mattress, hung the yellow shirt. It was still stained with blood and some of Max’s cum from the day before. He was scolding himself, panicking over how he was going to get away with this or how he was probably going to get into some serious shit.

A part of him told himself to keep it, another told him to return it. The latter was the best option, mainly because the shirt was valuable to David. The poor sucker would probably cry without his stupid shirt...

“Max? You in there? Everyone’s already heading in to eat!” Of course David was the one to rush him out. 

“Jesus, I’m coming already!” Max muttered, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth. The shirt would have to be another problem for another time. Right now, he was in fact hungry and wanted to get something good before everything ran out. When the teen crept out of his tent, he expected David to be there, waiting with that stupid signature smile. To his disappointment, the redhead wasn’t there. He shrugged his shoulders, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans while he made his way to the cafeteria. 

About a year or two ago, Ered’s parents had noticed the unsanitary conditions of the kitchen and grotesque food. Since then, better quality meals were provided, making the stay here at least a little worth it. He vaguely remembers that Gwen would cook a few things such as eggs and bacon, maybe some omelettes if she was in a good mood. The food tasted awful at first, but he could tell that she improved vastly since then. David mostly stuck to baking muffins, cupcakes and other basic pastries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. His baked goodies were delicious, the well rounded surface of a muffin soft and the insides moist and chewy. Max practically moaned when thinking of them, wanting nothing more than to pop one of those delectable treats in his mouth. Still, he wouldn’t admit that. 

The camper shoved the doors open, eyes scanning the laid out buffet section. It seemed most of the campers had gotten to it already, as there was only a scoop of scrambled eggs, a slice of honeyed ham, and some fruit remaining on the table. Max decided he’d take what he could get, retrieving a tray for the leftovers. 

As he made his way towards his usual spot, he noticed Nikki had a foot on his spot, her arms crossed. Oh boy. 

“Hey, Nikki,” Max started, staring at the wooden floor for a moment as he contemplated the wording of his apology. 

“I thought you didn’t want to be bothered by me.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Look, Nikki, I’m sorry. You’re not annoying, I just— I was having a rough day and I took out my anger on you. Will you _please_ forgive me?” One hand still held the tray while the other rubbed at the back of his neck, avoiding her stern gaze. It was quiet for a moment, until he heard the sound of her shoe hit the ground and laughter. He looked up, relieved to find that she accepted his apology and was in much higher spirits now. 

“Aww, Max! Since you asked nicely, I’ll forgive you.” She pat the seat next to hers, smiling as she stuffed her mouth with a few scrambled eggs. “What was bothering you so much yesterday, by the way?” Nikki asked, food still in her mouth. 

By no means was she a normal girl, but Max didn’t mind... _sometimes_.

“Just a headache.” Max didn’t want to explain in full depth, positive his friends would see him differently. But Nikki was smarter than that. 

“I won’t press you, but it had something to do with that cloth in your hand, right?” The suggestion made Max freeze, the sweet slice of ham he had taken a bite of suddenly tasting bitter. 

“...yeah. Don’t want to talk ‘bout it.” He swallowed the piece of food regardless, even if it felt like a rock. This morning wasn’t going too well, at least not for him. Especially when that stupid counselor had skipped his way over to the table. Max noticed before how David had been communicating with a few other campers. Shockingly, with a few new campers coming in each Summer, some of them attached themselves to David and his positive attitude. 

One time, a small girl had been shoved by some boy she had a crush on. They were playing some sort of fantasy related game, when the boy had pushed her a little too strongly. No surprise when David came rushing over, first aid box in hand. Since then, the girl would pick flowers or acorns off the ground and present them to David, keen on getting him to marry her. Max always scoffed at this, knowing that the counselor never would, but continued to helplessly feel jealous. 

_No, no, wait. Max wasn’t jealous, that idea was stupid. He was just— just in a bad mood that day. Getting upset over David? He’d never!_

Would he? 

Max was on this role of getting buried in his thoughts, because his friends were shaking him, concerned looks on their faces. Behind them, David shared a similar expression, only to falter when he realized that Max was okay. 

Except, he wasn’t. 

“We thought we lost you, Dude!” Neil exclaimed, who had incredulously put down his phone. The action made Max kinda smile, knowing that his other friend did in fact care. Nikki as well, her hand on his shoulder squeezing it gently. He didn’t know why he needed the comfort, but it was reassuring and he ended up leaning into the touch. 

“Yeah, Max! You were staring at nothing and started shaking. You know your face even got a little pale? Like you saw a ghost!” Max thought about her words for a moment, the last bit reminding him that he still needed to give Jasper an answer. 

All was forgotten in an instant when David sat next to him, ruffling his raven colored curls gingerly. The counselor then pulled out a fucking muffin and presented it to the teen, smiling somewhat shyly. “It looked like you didn’t get much to eat and I saved one of the last muffins for you.” 

_That stupid moron doing stupid shit!_

Out of anger and pent up emotions he wasn’t ready to acknowledge yet, he grabbed the muffin and threw it against the wall. The force was enough so that it broke off a few soft pieces of its mound, revealing a few chocolate chips and cream filling inside. David had flinched backwards, almost falling off the seat. There was this unreadable expression on his face, tears glossing over his forest green eyes. 

“Now, Max, you didn’t need to throw it like that.” His voice was strained, like there was a lump in his throat. The teen observed closely and began to spot David’s nose reddening, the rest of his face and the tip of his ears being tinted the same reddish color. 

“For fucks sake, David! Leave me alone! You follow me like some kinda sick puppy, being all nice and affectionate when I never ask you to. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had a crush on me!” Max was furious, a few selective words slipping through his lips without thinking. “Oh, is that it, David? You have some perverted crush on me or maybe on all the little fucking kids!” 

He didn’t know when, but Nikki and Neil were at his sides, pulling in his arms that were lifted up, hands balled up into fists. His breaths were erratic, along with the pounding in his head and in his heart. One look at the counselor and his throat became dry, heart sinking. 

David’s face was a mess as tears had already spilled, snot starting to drip down his nose. He opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. Rather than scold the teen for his language, David stood up and ran to the kitchen, sobbing brokenly while hiding his face in his hands. Across the room, Gwen stared at Max as if to say “what the fuck?”, quickly chasing after the redhead. Then Max noticed the other campers staring at him either in awe or disapproval.

Angrily, he shook his arms away from his friends and spun around to glare at them. 

“Jesus Christ, dude! What got your panties in a twist?!” Neil was shocked, never quite experiencing such a reaction from Max. 

“Just— shut up!” Max quickly stormed out of the cafeteria, away from all those eyes focusing on him. Why did he freak out like that? He wasn’t sure himself, but immediately regretted it. If anything, it was Max with this stupid perverted crush on-

_No._

He wasn’t going to think about that right now. Right now was a good time as any to just let Jasper do his stuff, hoping that the process somehow killed him. It’s not like anyone would really miss him. After the shit he said in front of all those kids, to _David_ , he doubted anyone would want to be around him. He’d finally be alone, just like he wanted. 

***

The walk to yesterday’s location was long and of course it was another scorching day outside. When he finally arrived, he slumped against the cliffs wall and sat down, regaining his breath. A short while after, the spirit had appeared, dead eyes expectant and hopeful. 

“So...have you th-“

“Yes. Do it.” Jasper looked shocked, as if he were expecting rejection. But it’s not like the kid would do something bad, he mentioned before something about making peace after all. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes. Hurry before I change my mind.” In an instant, Max felt cold, noticing Jasper place a ghostly palm over where his heart would be. He felt like he was being pulled out from his body and he actually was. Soon, his appearance was as transparent as Jasper’s, hovering over the ground in front of his own body. The sight was strange, seeing himself lay lifeless like that for a few short moments. But then it came to life, taking sharp inhales of oxygen when it did. 

“We did it!” Jasper’s voice was now Max’s, nothing really changing but the expression on... well, his face. 

“Don’t make that face in my body.” Max preferred to maintain a permanent scowl, keeping friendly campers at bay. It was really Neil and Nikki who had seen through it, barging their ways into his life. 

“Alright, Alright.” Jasper began to sit up, oddly doing so with Max’s body. It had been so long since the kid was alive, he expected him to struggle at first. Fortunately, the walk back was easily enough practice for Jasper to get the hang on Max’s body. Meanwhile, Max was a freaking ghost! 

It was a pretty good experience so far, his form malleable and transparent, although he still very much so looked like himself. He was expecting some sort of body switch, but it was really like his soul was being kicked out of his own body. Getting back in would hurt, judging by the way it hurt when he left. God, it was so weird when thinking about this! No one would believe him if he ever decided to tell anyone about the time he let a ghost kid possess him. 

“Hm...oh, yeah, that reminds me,” Jasper looked towards Max’s vitreous figure floating a bit above him. “What exactly do you need to do to move on?” 

A smile pulled at Jasper’s (Max’s?) lips. 

“I’m gonna sort things out with an old buddy of mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so glad I’ve been getting your comments and kudos! Even the hits mean a lot to me!!! I was a little frightened that this would be looked down upon, but I really couldn’t get the idea out of my head! And with your support it motivates me to continue writing more! Thank you!!! <3


	4. Too Long

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah! Thank you guys so much for your support! I can’t thank you or tell you enough how happy it’s made me! They constantly encourage and motivate me and I’m honestly so glad!! Love you all ^^   
> Also, I’m sorry this chapter is a little shorter, I just have _big_ plans for the next chapter!

Utter silence followed Max and Jasper as they continued their trek to the camp. The air was eerie, heavy, almost. Whether this was foreshadowing an uneventful future or Max still processing the fact that this was one of the most strangest phenomenons he has experienced, he prayed that this experience would at least end on a good note. 

Pondering about it now, it dawned upon the teen that he didn’t think this through. He should’ve demanded at least some information, such as _who_ this buddy was and _what_ exactly Jasper intended to do with said buddy. How was he even supposed to communicate with them? Jasper was using his body as a vessel, so wouldn’t it sound crazy if Max had suddenly claimed he was a dead person? 

Max debated asking questions, but something told him not to. From past memories, Jasper was a literal guardian angel, guiding him through that creepy mansion. Then there was the time an active sickness spread around and Jasper was there to assist yet again. 

Nothing could go wrong, right?

The camper decided to give Jasper the benefit of the doubt, basking in the uncomfortable silence. His new abilities as a ghost distracted him, providing him some comfort. 

_Fuck yeah, I can float and go through shit_

It had been quite a while Max was relieved of some of his stress, since he was always cautious around David and everybody else. His methods were considered “unhealthy”, but truthfully, bottling things up was the only way he knew how to cope. The grown adults he resisted to acknowledge as his parents were constantly arguing, taking on multiple jobs for money they later wasted at the bar. They always came home drunk, doing unspeakable things behind their bedroom door and even in the bathroom. More arguing came later, more drinking, more forgetting the fact that they had a child. 

Their relationship was so unstable that they ended up divorcing each other, finally doing something right by sending Max away to the camp so he wouldn’t witness the separation. In his opinion, it was better when he was away from them. He never wanted to return to that God awful apartment. And he didn’t. 

After summer camp for Max and a much needed divorce, his, _ugh_ , mother and father decided it’d be best for the kid to stay with his grandmother, one of the best decisions they made. 

No doubt, Max still had a few problems, but compared to before, he was much happier. Sure, his grandmother couldn’t provide him the love of a mother and a father, but she damn well tried her hardest.

_David also tries his hardest_

Max scoffed, pushing the thought away. Once he had his body back, he definitely owed the counselor an apology. As much as he hated to admit it, what he said to David was awful. Images of the look on his face swam through Max’s mind, the absolute epitome of misery plastered there. Thinking about it now made Max cringe and his ghost heart wrench. 

Even as two different forms, Jasper must’ve felt the same ache. He paused for a moment, clutching at the left side of his shirt before he let go and resumed walking. 

***

Fear bubbled in Max’s see-through and pliant form, watching as Jasper willed his body to approach Gwen. She had been supervising the kids while they participated in some other stupid outdoor activity. Although, she wasn’t actually watching them, her head buried in a magazine promoting health solutions and celebrity gossip. 

“G-Gwen?” Jasper stuttered, still unused to how to function properly. “Do you know where David is?” 

_God, he sounds so weak_

The counselor turned her attention towards Max, eyes widening. Her expression transitioned into one of anger, rolling the magazine up and lightly slapping the top of Max’s head with it. 

“Max! Where in the hell have you been?! And what was earlier’s episode all about?” She wasn’t finished there. “He offered you something delicious and you impulsively threw his hard work at those moldy walls and as if that wasn’t enough- you accuse him of being a- a _pedophile?!_ ” 

Max would’ve replied, but the solid body in front of his eyes reminded him that he was just an invisible soul. Unlike Jasper, he couldn’t become visible at will, it was a ghost thing, probably, but it still would’ve been pretty neat to do.

The Max that Gwen could see was quick to respond, seemingly catching on to what she was talking about. 

“That’s why I’m asking for him, so I could apologize.” 

Max was thinking slowly, as per usual, the fact barely hitting him that Jasper’s old buddy had to be David. It was then that the teen began to protest, but Jasper ignored his jumbled words and focused on Gwen, smirking when she revealed the counselor’s current whereabouts. 

Again, the kid totally went against Max’s normal personality, sending Gwen a grin and a wave as he thanked her. With his newly acquired information, Jasper skipped his way to David’s cabin. 

“Hey, Jasper- dude, you never told me you were going to—“

“Max, I can guarantee you that it’s going to be okay. David knows me.” That wasn’t exactly reassuring, but Max shrugged, feeling the swell of his heart. The idea that they were somehow connected was strange, making the teen wonder if they could read each other’s-

“Yes, I can hear your thoughts.” 

_Yikes_

“I heard that.” 

Max grumbled, twiddling with his pseudo fingers as Jasper approached the door of David’s cabin, knocking on it lightly. The wooden door opened moments later, revealing a rather tired looking David. Under his eyes were dark circles, his rims red from crying before. They widened for a moment, panic settling over his features, struggling to make some sort of greeting towards the raven haired male. 

_Must’ve hurt him pretty bad..._

“Hello, David.” Jasper decided to initiate the conversation first, smiling too unnaturally and sweet for Max’s taste.. “May I come in?” 

_Could you be any less like me? Thanks._

Max earned a glare from Jasper, actually a little startled at how horrifying his face looked when he was upset. No wonder David had that reaction when he- well, when _Jasper_ knocked on the door with _his_ face.

All too soon, Jasper had stepped inside, closing the door behind him and locking it. Max didn’t even want to know why, thus excusing the action as a way to keep their privacy. 

“So, Max, what’re you doing here?” David had mostly avoided Max’s/Jasper’s gaze, probably still feeling awkward and hurt since their last encounter. He had also gnawed at his bottom lips anxiously, hands crossed and squeezing closer against himself, almost as if he were cold.

“Oh, well, I came to make my-“ The air grew heavy, even weighing Max’s spirit down. He felt something else, something that caused every non-existent nerve in his transparent figure to spark. It was the same thick fog from the first time Max allowed the kid to take over his body, except now he knew that it was. 

Everything was happening so fast that Max continued to hover by the door, staring blankly at the back of his own head. Within those few seconds, Jasper had David cornered on the bed, arms wrapped around the counselor’s body in a seemingly constructing embrace. 

“S-sorry, Davey... _it’s been so long_.”

There was a long moment of silence before Max heard the familiar clinking of a belt being removed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is only the beginning.


	5. Suffocating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning beforehand, if any readers are triggered by rape or any form of molestation, this chapter may not be for you. Writing this was admittedly tough on me, but I got through it! ^^;

Jasper was elated to find he was able to rely on Max. Although the process was painful for the both of them, it was going to be worth it. Especially when he was struggling so hard to remember how to use a living, breathing body. 

He was a foreign spirit in a living person's body, but he still felt like it shouldn't have been like this. Upon regaining consciousness in the teen's body, there was something aching in his heart. Jasper wasn't stupid, connecting this to the feelings Max most likely had for the counselor. Although Jasper may have been a little envious, he was happy for Max. Jasper even thought he'd do some good by being a lot nicer to David while in Max's body, hopefully reducing the estranged relationship and bringing them a little closer. Max was stubborn and full of anger, but if Jasper could _show_ him how simple it was to communicate with David, then it’d be a success!

While being Max, he began to see brief flashbacks from events not too long ago. Each memory was followed by pain and aches, the kid really didn't know how Max lived like this. And because he knew how stubborn the camper was, it would be a good time to take advantage of this control and help the teen. 

However, now presented in front of him was Max’s love interest, the man who would smile no matter what. Even as he had been towered over by Max’s form, he was smiling, offering to lend an ear if something was bothering the camper. Of course, once upon a time, Jasper had feelings for David. He had accepted the fact that his life was over a long time ago, burying his love for the counselor a long time ago. Still, a flooding warmth thrummed through Max’s veins, which made Jasper nervous. This couldn’t have been his own feelings, could it?

 _No_ , this had to be something else. This had to be related to Max somehow. 

Jasper could only remember being washed over with this feeling of immense arousal, unable to handle it. Then he looked at David, tempted to touch every inch of his body. The borrowed vessel's hands twitched, legs impulsively walking forward to approach David. He didn't even realize he had already pinned the redhead to the bed, who looked absolutely petrified, shaking beneath him with a quickly faltering smile. 

But he couldn't stop.

The lust was overwhelming and Jasper hadn't felt any sort of feeling as strongly as this. Max must've had a lot of restraint, but the kid wasn’t Max and this made it that much harder. After internally struggling, Jasper realized the borrowed vessel was idle, moving on its own accord. Just how much and how long has Max been pining for the counselor? 

It didn’t matter, Jasper no longer had control, but remained cursedly conscious.

“M-Max? What’re you doing?” The redhead finally managed to vocalize his concerns, hands clasped together and held tightly against his chest as he looking up towards Max’s face with these big eyes full of fright and concern. 

Across the room, Max hovered, yelling at Jasper to stop, but it was to no avail. Every noise he made had been unconsciously muted, his movement also denied. 

_That’s better_

Now, his hands had gripped David’s shoulders, pulling him up so they could face each other. Jasper traced his tongue over his chapped lips, pressing a chaste kiss to David’s cheeks. He peppered more kisses on his face, slowly moving towards David’s lips. They were plump and soft, the way they trembled spurring him on further.

_This is so wrong...!_

Rational thoughts were quickly being discarded, unbearable lust stealing complete control now. 

“Max, this— this isn’t appropriate! I’m an adult and you’re just a kid!” 

There was no reply, just thick silence engulfing the room as he continued his ministrations. David was distraught and panicked, unsure of what to do or say. Every kiss to David’s skin earned a look of disgust and anguish as the older male inched away slowly from Max’s overbearing body. This only encouraged Jasper to corner him more, a hand reaching out to grab David’s wrists and pin them above his head. With Max’s free hand, he had slyly snaked up David’s shirt, grazing his chest and pulling up the bothersome clothing, revealing soft skin speckled with more freckles and a few prominent beauty marks. 

Seemingly mesmerized by the view, Jasper leaned in towards David’s chest and licked a stripe up his navel, eyes drinking in the sight. David quietly whimpered, resisting but his body was clearly giving in to the pleasure. What a priceless reaction. His eyes drifted towards David’s chest, eyeing those appetizing, pink nipples, perking up from exposure to the cooler air. Eagerly, his mouth licked at one nub, lightly rolling his tongue over it and earning a muffled moan. While pinching he other nub, he slowly eased his way into suckling at the nipple, loving the way David twitched. 

The misty eyed counselor below him shivered, tears welling in his eyes as he continuously mumbled “no” over and over again. He wasn’t taken seriously when Jasper felt David’s own hardened and clothed arousal rub against his.

“Please, stop!” David whined, tugging his captured wrists against Jasper’s iron grip, legs thrashing about under him. The struggling had become a hindrance, deciding it’d be much better to tie the counselor up. 

And he did just that.

Slipping the belt from the loops of Max’s tight jeans, Jasper tied David’s wrists together, now using his free hands to grip at the flesh of the other’s thighs. On a mission, those same hands creeped up until they met the fabric of David’s shorts, tugging them down with ease. David was so skinny that undoing his shorts was deemed unnecessary. 

“Max, please! We— we can talk about this, but you need to stop!” His protests came out in garbled sobs, pleas constantly resurfacing after every sentence. The attempts were futile. 

More kisses met with David’s skin, kisses that developed into sensual licks and sucking, saving the worst for last; biting. These ministrations continued regardless of the pleas, which had become quieter until they ceased. Instead, they were replaced with silent sobs and hesitant moans. David had squeezed his eyes shut at this point, still repulsed by each touch despite his body’s encouraging reactions.

It was quiet, only the sound of lips on skin heard until there was a shuffling of clothes. Jasper had pulled his jeans down to rest at his hips, tugging at his length from its restricting confines. It bobbed eagerly against his stomach, ready to be enveloped in David’s hole.

Having no knowledge of experience, his hands greedily handled David’s hips with a bruising force, bringing himself flush against the other’s member. For a moment, Max’s dick rubbed at David’s entrance, enjoying the feeling and craving _more_. 

His lust knew no bounds, mindlessly allowing his hips to thrust forward into that velvety, tight heat. As he forced his way in, he could feel David clench around him, entire body trembling. By no means did it seem like David was sharing the same feeling anymore, his face scrunched up in pain, hips attempting to squirm away from the intrusion. 

Another fruitless action. 

*** 

By now, David’s arousal had become flaccid due to the unbearable and unrelenting pain in his backside. Not to mention the excruciating discomfort he felt every time his entrance was met with a sharp thrust. Max’s pace had become violent, tearing at David’s sphincter and causing it to _bleed_. 

For about half an hour, David endured the tortuous agony entering him repeatedly, almost seeming like it’d never end. David had given up screaming a long time ago, his voice broken and scratchy. Only muffled sobs and silent screams passed through his lips that he had bitten time and time again to ignore the torture to his entrance. But relief settled inside him once he heard the shallow breaths coming from Max, noticing his punishing thrusts had shortened. He knew these signs indicated the other’s release. 

Soon enough, Max had halted as he bottomed out, spurting his hot seed inside. Looking above, the teen seemed satisfied, lying his chest against David’s as he grew weary. 

It was almost as if the camper had changed, briskly pulling himself up and staring at David in disbelief. Then his emerald eyes trailed down, giving the impression that he was mortified at the sight. No doubt it was strange, but the counselor couldn’t help but continue to feel intimidated by Max. 

Truthfully, David wanted nothing more than to get along with the camper. Realizing his parents truly didn’t care for Max, David couldn’t help but feel pity and sympathy, unconsciously attaching himself to the kid. He was unsure why it was only Max, considering plenty of other Campers had problems, such as Nerf. 

The kindness he offered the teen was constantly rejected, each rejection becoming more and more violent. At first, Max would brush it off. As he grew, though, Max starting using offensive threats and insults, sometimes even shoving at David’s arms roughly. More and more it seemed like the camper wanted nothing to do with him, purposely avoiding and ignoring his presence as much as possible. 

David was starting to think Max despised him, but blamed himself. He knew that most of the time his upbeat attitude was bothersome and annoying, but without it he’d be _nothing_. Still, David couldn’t help but feel upset. Although, if there’s one thing he wouldn’t do, it was give up. With a little more time and persuasion, David would get Max to open up and hopefully become much happier than he was now. After all, he only wanted the best for the camper. 

It had been quite some time that David had been lost in thought, barely hearing Max’s screams. 

“David?! David, oh God, please wake up!” 

Was he asleep? He didn’t remember, but it did occur to him that his eyes were closed, staring into the fuzzy and dark abyss behind his heavy eyelids. David felt his body being lifted up and carried somewhere, not really worrying about the location. Immediately, his body was met with a cool surface as he was placed down gently. There was a squeak, like a handle being pulled and suddenly an inviting warmth began to spread from the bottom of his heels to his chest. 

This... is the bathroom

David could feel his limbs start to relax, the pain dissolving when he felt a wet rag rub against his skin. The texture of the warm towel soothed him more as it glided down his chest and towards his bottom, probably cleaning the blood and cum that had resided there. 

He found himself whining when the rag had withdrew, the sound of scurrying footsteps becoming more distant. Then they returned, quiet for only a moment. 

“Shit, David I’m so _sorry_. Fuck, I didn’t know this would happen, I-“ The teen had stopped abruptly, breaking out into tears. This confused the counselor, wondering if maybe this was all a horrible dream. 

After hearing the plug from the bathtub pop, David was picked up once more, wrapped in soft towels as he was carried back to the bed. Max continued to cry and mumble unfathomable things as he grabbed David’s legs tentatively. Briefs were sliding up his legs once Max successfully got each leg though each hole, pulling them all the way up. Next came a pair of soft pajama bottoms, a t-shirt, some fuzzy socks and _finally_ a blanket. It felt different than the cover he usually used, it was warm and inviting, much different compared to his scratchy one. His head was being raised by a sweaty palm, slipping a pillow to cushion it. 

A hand came to grasp his, squeezing it lightly as he heard Max cursing himself and apologizing profusely behind clenched teeth. 

”David, I— _god damnit_ , I’m so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you,” A sniffle and hiccup interrupted his sentence. “Fuck, fuck, _fuck_ , this wouldn’t have happened if I loved you.” 

_What was that?_

David had no time to process what he’d heard, sleep taking over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O o f .  
> I can’t thank you guys enough, seriously! Every new comment- ahhh, bless you guys. I’ve never been this pumped up!!!


	6. Still Not Enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow... your comments! I’ve teared up so many times I can’t keep count! Again, for the millionth time, _thank you!!!_

Sharp and invisible needles prickled at Max's head, forcing him to be shaken from his slumber. There was no sight of the sun's rays beaming through the windows, instead, the sky outside had become dark, the glow from the twinkling stars hardly any better of a light source. Faint sounds of bugs chirping and owls hooting broke any silence, something the teen didn't know he relished until now.

The room was dark, but it didn't take Max too long to figure out where he was. He was kneeling by the side of David's bed, hands still grasping the other's. Upon recognizing this, he immediately withdrew, starting to stand when his knees gave out. His legs were aching from the position he slept in, temporarily immobilizing his movements. While waiting to regain control in his lower limbs, Max sighed, slouching against the bed. 

Some part of Max missed the connection of David’s hand in his own, missed any sort of contact with the counselor, the overbearing loneliness and desire for intimacy urging him to slide in next to David. Another part was screaming at him to leave and ignore this man until the summer was over, or just head home now and never look back. 

He heaved another sigh, his emerald green eyes traveling up to inspect the older male's face, noticing David's lashes. They were long and curved upward like a doll's, color matching his hair, although slightly lighter. Then there was the freckles, becoming more and more abundant throughout the years. Exposure to the sun most likely increased the the quantity of them, but it's not like it was a bad thing. Max thought their soft hue complimented the counselor's sun-kissed skin, especially when there was a prominent blush on a particularly hot day or when a camper asked an inappropriate question. 

_Cute, wait, shit, stop it Max. You need to be serious here_

All embarrassing adorations aside, Max magnified the problem at hand. What Jasper did... those couldn’t have been his intentions. There was no way he’d possess Max just for the sake of raping an old childhood friend who idolized him. Max wasn’t stupid, he knew very well who Jasper was. He recalled a memory where he had been in the back seat of David’s car with Nikki and Neil beside him, space kid in the back. The counselor reminisced of an old event that occurred in his younger years to inspire the young and unenthusiastic campers at the time (except Nikki), but information was being held back. Max wasn’t sure whether it was for the children’s good or for David’s, because halfway through his telling, he didn’t look so well. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his visible leg bouncing up and down anxiously and his eyes in the rear view mirror glassy. Something horrible happened no doubt, but Max was generous enough as to not press the redhead any further. 

Instead, years later, Max connected the dots. When Jasper first appeared, he was a ghost and obviously a child, his name even solid proof of who he was. The teen could go on about the obvious evidence in case of any denial, but at least he knew. From David’s recollection and his own meeting with Jasper on several occasions, the kid was nice. Just a pure soul unaware of who he was possessing. No doubt it was wrong for Jasper to allow himself to be swayed by Max’s foolish desires, but in the end, it was Max who had to pay. Who had to _suffer_.

_You deserve to rot...You’re pathetic and gross_

Fresh tears gathered at the corners of Max’s eyes, but he held them back. There was no use in crying over spilt milk. What Jasper— no, what _he_ did to David was unforgivable. He was pretty sure he scarred Jasper as well. Even in this position, Max wished that David interpreted earlier’s horrible mishap has a nightmare. This is where the two sides of him fought again, one wishing to continue staying by David’s side for the sake of comfort and the other convincing and convicting Max that he was a monster and should die alone for harboring such inappropriate feelings for David, an adult no less. 

There was no time for arguing now when sleep was quickly pulling at his heavy eyelids, but he needed to make a decision. Wobbling legs managed to push themselves up and heave the rest of Max’s body onto the bed, scooting in and under the covers to spoon the other man. An arm came to rest on David’s hip, which was probably bruised from their previous accident. The memory of the bruises provoked an inappropriate thought to flash in Max’s mind, but the time was not right to get-

_Fuck_

He was hard. 

“Seriously?” Max muttered under his breath, inhaling sharply when he realized just how close he was to the counselor. His back was pressed against Max completely, generating a pleasing warmth. The teen decided it’d be much better to just let it go away on its own and fall asleep, but David squirmed, his ass pressing back into Max’s arousal. “ _Fuck_!” He whisper-yelled, the hand resting on David’s hip squeezing lightly at the bruised flesh there. To this, the still sleeping redhead whined, mumbling incoherent babbles. 

Max could feel his mouth become dry for the second time today, now wide awake as his length began to throb painfully against his trousers. Mindlessly, his hips ground against David’s backside with fervor. The sensation was intoxicating and begged Max to continue basking in the sweet friction, but he was not going to let this be a repeat of last time. 

Regardless of his rational intentions, his lust was slowly catching up to him. The man he lo- the man he nursed unfathomable feelings for was right in front of him, sleeping soundly and smelling so damn good. His pine-scented soap and surprisingly strawberry fragranced shampoo was enough to stir Max up more, inhaling the scent he had found so addicting. 

Before he knew it, his hips were snapping against David’s clothed ass hurriedly, chasing his orgasm. His fingers were digging into David’s bruised hips, but the pleasure overwhelmed him and left him unaware of how heavy he was breathing and how the backside he was grinding into was pushing back ever so slightly. He was _so close_. 

“M-Max?” David’s voice was laced with sleep and something else he couldn’t quite pinpoint, but decided to shrug it off. Right now, he was focused on relieving himself. The older male attempted to speak up once again when Max let out a groan, resting his forehead on the back of David’s neck. The counselor tried squirming away, but the teen growled as he pulled David closer to him, mouth lazily licking and biting at the back of the other’s neck. A more possessive side of him wanted to mark up David’s neck and the rest of his unblemished skin, but that was impossible. David wasn’t—

_Mine_

His arousal spoke for him, exhilarated at the thought of having David submit to him, just like now. The way David became frigid and resisted so little made Max dizzy. He drank in the soft whimpers and whines emitting through the counselor’s lips, saving them for later when he would evidently fantasize about him again. 

“Max, _please_.” David quietly protested, but the way he sounded made it seem like he was enjoying this too. And how he softly called out Max’s name with a hint of urgency was enough to have the teen spilling over the edge. Warmth pooled into his gut and shot through his dick, hips stuttering as cum began staining the inside of his briefs and jeans. 

Consciousness was slipping away from Max and he allowed himself to, too tired and content to deal with a probably upset David. At the end of his bliss and blinding lust, a sickening feeling washing over him. 

_Shit, taking advantage of him again? Really? Max, you have really outdone yourself_

There was no time to fight himself, right now, he just wanted to rest and bask in his dreams and away from reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was a little short! I swear the next chapter will be a little angsty, so bare with me! Whether that’s good or bad news two you, watch out! ;)


	7. Pain is a Luxury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I had to add a few more tags based on how this chapter went. I am heartbroken and it fueled my will to write this chapter I had started and abandoned a week ago. Sorry for such a long wait. I struggle with a few illnesses of my own and sometimes writing it hard to do ^^; But thank you so much for your support!! It’s really helped me get back into writing this for you guys!

After the incident, David's usual behavior towards Max was expected. It had been around 3 weeks already, nearing its 4th mark, the counselor constantly avoiding the teen in any way he could. Those once vibrant, forest green eyes had become dull, somehow reducing the optimistic aura he once had. Or maybe, he didn't have one in the first place. David knew himself a lot more, but actively ignored quite a few parts of himself. From years of observing the older male, Max unofficially identified himself as some sort of David whisperer. Although he didn't communicate with the man, he could always tell when there was something wrong or off. 

The teen also noticed that David made unexpected trips to town, coming back a little later than usual. He also started leaving early, returning to his cabin an hour or two earlier than usual. Gwen seemed to understand, her expression and tone never harsh towards David. She also must've been unaware of what happened that night between the two, because she treated Max all the same. 

Truthfully, Max was _concerned_ , having had no time to speak with the counselor and apologize. Numerous times he wanted to ask Gwen if David was alright, but he decided against it. However, the suspense he was in frustrated him. Having to go on everyday without- without David and his bubbly personality poking in everyone's business, it was aggravating. 

Today was a day he planned the most, ready to finally break the routine of ignoring each other. From previous glances to the schedule and times that David took his break, Max decided he had to speak with David. It was Thursday in the afternoon, the time the counselor usually headed in for a lunch break on his own. He never ate with the campers anymore, in fact, it doesn't even look like he had been eating much since. The redhead looked impossibly lankier, fragile, as if he could've been blown away by the wind at any moment. 

Even now, as he was following the counselor to a cabin that was not his own, David had stumbled and tripped over himself, swaying like he was drunk. Once David had successfully stepped in to what seemed to be the pharmaceutical cabin, Max made his move. Quietly, he crept over to the entrance, watching the counselor through the window, who was taking some bottle out of a cabinet in the back. Pleased with David's position away from the door, Max silently turned the knob of the door, creaking it open just enough to fit himself inside. 

And then there was David, still left without the shirt wrapped around his neck. The skin had become tan, much like the rest of his limbs. A hand came to scratch at his back mindlessly, pushing the shirt down a little to access the itching spot. Max was mortified to see a bite mark, still bruised and red. 

_Shit, did I do that?_

Gulping, Max continued forward, stopping about 4 feet away from the other male. 

"David, we need to talk." The counselor's shoulders visibly stiffened, hand returning to his sides and clenching at the fabric of his shorts anxiously. His knees even wobbled, but Max was unsure why. David slowly turned himself around, head drooping, presumably to avoid Max's gaze. 

"M-Max, what're you doing here? You should be with the other campers-" He looked pathetic, face red with his lips trembling and swollen from being gnawed at. 

"Shut up. I'm asking the questions here." David quieted down immediately, still staring holes into the wooden floor. "Hey, look at me." 

For some strange reason, when the counselor did as he was told, Max wanted to hug him and never let go. The man looked broken and sick, like one of those portrayals of workaholics who had become mindless slaves for their companies. There were dark circles around his eyes, making him look much worse. Was he sleeping?

"You need to tell me what the fuck is going on, because ever since you and I—... you've been acting all kinds of weird." The counselor dared a half smile and a forced chuckle, wrapping his arms around himself. 

"Nothings wrong, Max. I'm fine!" 

"BULL. SHIT." Max was livid, stepping a little closer to the other. "You've been ignoring me, skipping every fucking meal, and looking like some kind of brain dead idiot sulking around every day! Why do you come here to eat? I don't see any food here!" The hands at his sides balled up into fists, nails digging into the palms of his skin. 

"Are you... worried?" David's depressing demeanor faltered, somehow looking taken aback by the thought. 

"Anyone would be, stupid..." Max looked away for a moment, scratching the back of his head. "You... um, you okay down there?" 

Both of their faces reddened, silence filling the room again for what seemed like forever. 

"Um, y-yes. It doesn't hurt when I walk anymore, but it took a while, you're very bi—!" A hand slammed against the counter behind David, Max's form towering over him as he made this familiar expression. 

_What do you think you're doing, Max?_

"Max?" David squeaked out, staring up at him with actual fear in his eyes. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Max’s emerald eyes stared intensely into David’s, slowly drifting towards the still exposed bite mark and then to the bottom of his shirt, tucked in neatly into his shorts. A hand unconsciously yanked the shirt from its tight confines, sliding a hand up taut and freckled skin as he made his way up David’s torso, shirt following suit. The more skin exposed, the more Max could feel himself reeling with both disgust and satisfaction. Angry purple marks dotted David’s flesh, appearing as fresh as they were before. His hand strayed to touch at the bruises, daringly pressing into a few and earning a whimper. 

It didn’t take too long for Max to feel and see David trembling, his knees buckling while trying to keep himself calm and up. Somehow the sight triggered something in Max that he wasn’t quite sure he had. At least, not this strongly. 

“Look at you, _pathetic_ , trying to stay up when you _can’t_. Get on your knees, now.” Max commanded, licking his lips while he watched David reluctantly lower himself to his bruised knees. Pleased, Max stared at the sight, awarding the counselor with a pat on his head and an approving smirk. 

“ _Maaaax_ , please, can we just go now? T-the other campers are probably-“

“What, worried? About you?!” He paused to laugh obnoxiously, tearing up at the funny thought. “How stupid are you? Nobody here cares about this shitty camp, David.”

“I’d have to disagree—“

“Shut. Up. This horrible excuse for a camp exists for the children that parents want to get away from. Look at me, look at Harrison, look at _everybody!_ You think they want to be here? I wouldn’t because this place fucking sucks and so do you! You’re defenseless and vulnerable, like a woman. I should use you like one!” 

_Shit, no, I don’t mean that_

“Stop it! Please, Max, stop it! I’ve heard enough!” At this point, David was sniffling and crying, shoulders slumped and hands covering his face shamefully. His chest heaved with every exhale and shaky inhale. It wasn’t too long before David was scrambling to stand himself up, heading for the exit when Max caught his arm. 

“David, wait, I’m so-“

“No, Max. Just leave me alone.” The counselor turned to meet Max’s gaze, yanking his arm from the teen’s softening grip. “I think it’s best if we don’t talk to each other anymore.” With that, David pulled away, leaving an awful ache in Max’s heart. 

_You’re so fucking stupid, Max. Look what you did_

It was going to be a long rest of the summer. 

***

After the incident with Max, David hadn’t been the same. Every time he’d approach his cabin, brief memories of what the teen did to him flashed in his mind. Because of this, the counselor hadn’t been able to sleep since. Instead, he’d stay outside all night or in the cafeteria anxiously pacing. It wasn’t long before a concerned camper notified Gwen, who eventually talked to David about it. 

For Max’s sake, David lied to Gwen, informing her that he couldn’t sleep in his own cot because of nightmares. David didn’t know if she felt pity or what, but Gwen offered her bed. She was worried, her vibrant and rare lavender eyes displaying obvious concern for the older male. Gwen even mentioned she could sleep on the couch or David could have breaks during the day to sleep if he wanted. 

Hesitantly, he accepted at the time and since then, he’d been sleeping with Gwen. Despite her vulgar language and careless attitude, she would pull the blankets over David and cradle him in her arms, pressing kisses to the top of his head and sometimes even singing to lull the counselor to sleep. He was ever grateful for her motherly approach, since he could finally feel something that he didn’t quite experience before with his own mother. 

David knew Gwen was smart, knew that she _knew_ nightmares weren’t the thing bothering him, but she never pressed him on the subject. He admired her tentative side, admired how she was strong and caring for him when she had her own problems to deal with. If there was one thing they shared, it was the prescription pills. 

Gwen used them for her anxiety and cyclothymia, or a sort of acute bipolar disorder. David on the other hand, suffered depression that stemmed from his long and early years of being a child. He’d seen things no child should, felt things no child should, done things that, again, _no child should_. 

In therapy sessions with his therapist, he was tugging at a string David really didn’t wish to be pulled at. It was a faint memory of _Jasper_ , the kid he’d practically admired. Of course he was envious, but who wouldn’t be? 

Everybody loved Jasper. 

The moment his fingers slipped from David’s grasp, he knew the kid wasn’t going to survive. David continued to feel weak every time he’d remember. For years he had blamed himself, loathing himself every and any moment he was reminded of that kid full of life and opportunities. Sometimes, David wished he’d been the one to fall, it’s not like he had much to do here anyways...

A sick feeling crept over David, prompting him to find the nearest trash can. He was in the kitchen whipping up some fresh muffins, but found most of the trash cans full. He hadn’t taken out the trash yet, waiting for Gwen to assist him since his arms had become weak from lack of food. Instead, he spotted an empty sink and discarded his empty remnants there, coughing and cringing at the awful taste and smell. Even if his body didn’t consume much of anything, the thought of Jasper had, without fail, managed to make him ill. 

After washing his mouth with water and cleaning the sink, he returned to his position in front of the stove. The clock on it read 6:30 am, about the time he’d need to eat something and take his medication. Reluctantly, he searched around for something small to eat, finding a protein bar in one of the cabinets. David took two bites of it, too sick to continue. Once he forcefully swallowed it down, he fixed himself a glass of water and fished out the small bottle of pills from his pocket. He popped open the cap, taking two tablets and downing them with ease after a long gulp of stale, tap water. 

Soon after, David heard a ding, notifying him that the muffins were ready. He was so lost in thought that when he opened the stove and grabbed the hot tray without a mitten, he ended up burning his hand. The muffin’s safety were more important to David, allowing his hand to burn and sting until he plopped the tray onto the counter to cool. He rushed to the sink, turning the knob for cold water, bringing his wounded hand under its flow. This brought him relief, but he knew it was temporary. The counselor decided it be best to head for the nurses cot and retrieve some bandages for his hand. 

The pain was welcomed, though. If anything, he deserved it, right? He knew he did something wrong, even if he wasn’t aware of exactly what he did. David had to do something wrong, that’s why Max did _that_ to him, right? 

He deserved it.


	8. Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the late update! School has been a hassle and I had absolutely no idea how I was going to write out this next chapter. As an apology, I made it extra long and I’m already working on the next one! Enjoy! ;>

"Alright kids, wake the fuck up. It's time for breakfast or some shit." Gwen's monotone voice was loud over the speakers, enough to wake Max from his sleep. His arm came to rest over nothing, flopping back onto the cool and empty spot next to him. Heavy lids pried themselves open, Max's stomach lurching when he remembered yesterday's failed attempt at a conversation. He expected the rest of the summer away from David to be pretty easy, but it made him feel queasy even if it had only been a few hours. 

What he said to the counselor yesterday was out of line, which was totally not like him— okay, maybe a little bit like him, but he'd never actually _say_ those things to the counselor. Max never even planned to form any type of relationship towards David, because he didn't like him in the first place. Max hated every fiber that made up David, absolutely despised his unwavering, optimistic attitude and support. Whatever the counselor saw in Max, spouting on about a future full of promises was bullshit. The teen's grades were below average at most, turning in late assignments and ditching school most of the time to just smoke a pack of cigarettes he'd regularly receive from Ered. She never came to the camp anymore, but continued to maintain contact with few of the campers she deemed ‘cool’. Ered aside, the way Max saw it, he didn't have a future. He couldn't see one.

_Not without him_

The teen growled and searched his pockets by habit, reaching for that pack of cigarettes that weren't there. They had been confiscated in the first week of camp, some little kid spotting Max and immediately tattling, going on about his asthma. He vividly remembers David lecturing him for an entire hour about his health and other stupid shit he didn't really care for. At least, not until David placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm, yet gentle squeeze. Those forest green eyes displayed immense concern as David went on about his hopes for Max to do better. 

It honestly pissed the teen off, having no obligation to do as the counselor told. David wasn't his shitty father, wasn't his friend or superior. He wasn't anything but a mere obstacle in his life. Even now David was proving to be even more so of a conflict, taking up his thoughts consistently. If anything, Max couldn't wait until he left this awful excuse of a camp. This would've been the last summer he'd stay here. He was 16, too old to be at a lame summer camp anyways. 

Deep down he knew it was for David, hating and unfathomably loving how his stupid face would brighten up at the sight of Max returning each year. 

After the situation with Jasper, Max knew that smile wouldn't belong to him anymore. He didn't know why, but his control had been reduced to almost nothing. Back at home with his grandparents, they'd already discussed with him numerous times about the dangers of relationships and sex. It was awkward and extremely uncomfortable, until they mentioned something that caught his attention. His grandma looked at her husband lovingly, putting a hand on top of his, squeezing it lightly with pure love shining in her eyes. Then her attention strayed to Max, voice serene. 

_"Sex isn't something to take for granted, mijo. It's an experience that ties you to someone, where they trust you to take care of them and you trust them to do the same."_

Max remembers scoffing at the statement, but his grandpa intervened before he could vocalize a snarky retort.

_"She's right, Max. Just remember, you should never take it lightly. Once you connect with someone, there's no going back. Mostly because there will always be consecuencias."_

Why were their words coming up now? He wasn't sure, but it must've been some stupid universal sign. At home, his grandma was very spiritual. Everyday there'd be a new lesson on karma, the universe and some other cosmic bullshit he could care less about. 

But now? Words Max didn't even know he remembered came flooding back into his thoughts, forcing him to remember things he brushed off as irrelevant. There was no way he "connected" to David, what he did was _awful_. The pit in his stomach grew with each passing hour, away from David, away from his friends and other campers, leaving him isolated with himself.

And Max hated it. 

There was no break from the accusations he'd throw at himself, hell, even at _Jasper_. Desperately he clung to the idea that this was the ghost’s fault, afraid to recognize that it was his own overbearing feelings at fault here. Despite trying to blame Jasper, the ever growing self-loathing, the guilt and the shame followed him like a persistent rainy cloud over his head. 

How was he even supposed to formally apologize to David? To repent and fix whatever they had before? For sure David would either flee and avoid Max or the teen would do something even worse to fuck it up. Max didn't want to hurt him anymore than he has, but another ugly part of him wanted to do things to the counselor that should not be repeated. This darker side would so generously put these explicit thoughts and images into his head, going the extra mile to worsen his mental health. 

_All because you can't accept reality, because you're a pussy who's keen on avoiding the obvious fact that you're in love with-_

When those kinds of thoughts sparked, Max had his trusty, already lit cigarettes ready to burn into his flesh. His upper arms and wrists were scarred with burn marks, earning both negative and positive remarks from anyone who'd seen them. Luckily, David hadn't seen the wounds, otherwise he'd probably chew his head off about it and have another sappy, damn therapy session. 

"Max?" The voice was soft and reluctant, almost sounded like _David_. His mouth dried, suddenly filled with hope and anxiety. "Uh, buddy, you coming to lunch today?" It was Neil. 

_How the fuck do you mix up David's and Neil's voice like that?!_

Unprepared to face today, Max peeled himself from the covers and groaned, dismissing his friend. He moved to sit up, but paused when he felt something uncomfortable in his pants. His face scrunched up, examining the dry cum stains with disgust. 

_Wow, Max. Again? Don't you have anything better to do than jerk off?_

The teen chuckled to himself, burying his face into his hands momentarily. This unhealthy habit of masturbating had to stop, maybe then he'd build up what he had lost with his restraint. And maybe he could...

_Talk to David again?_

The only problem Max saw was how would he explain that a ghost possessed him during _that_ time? And that he’d been furiously jerking off to David over the past few years, thus contributing to whatever the hell he did? 

He groaned, rubbing at his temples briefly before glancing towards Niel’s silhouette through the tent. 

“I know you haven’t been eating lately... Uh, we could talk about it if you wanna? It’s just- It concerns both Nikki and I that you’ve been talking to David a lot and that afterwards you’ve completely stopped eating and participating in other normal, human activities.”

“Uh huh.” Max replied as he began to switch his undergarments and trousers for something cleaner. 

“Did... um... Did David _touch_ you?” Max froze as he pulled on a fresh shirt, anger bubbling up inside him. As if he were so vulnerable to let a wimp like David touch him. The counselor has morals, unlike him, and if anything, he knew David’s hobbies did not include touching children. “Max?”

“Neil, what the fuck?” Max shuffled on his other shoe, finally emerging from his tent with a scowl. “Do you even know what kinda person David is?” 

His friend frowned, pushing up his glasses as he searched intently for something on Max’s expression. 

“That fucking goof ball wouldn’t lay a hand on anybody unless it’s to try and comfort them like some sort of shrink. He’s a good— he’s a good guy,” saying that physically made Max sick, never imagining that he’d actually say anything remotely nice about David. “So fuck you for thinking some messed up bullshit like that. Just stay out of my business, okay?” 

Neil looked shocked, mouth gaping open slightly. He looked mad too, judging by the way he huffed out a breath and clenched his fists. 

“You know what? Fine. Be a- a fucking loner for the rest of the camp! We were just trying to _help_ you!“

“I don’t need any shitty help.” Max spat, feeling his gut twist violently. Neil acted like something was wrong with him, which pissed Max off beyond belief. Because there wasn’t anything wrong with him.

_Right?_

Neil scoffed, turning his head away and walking off to the cafeteria. He was probably hurt and confused, not being able to console Max, but this wasn’t something he could explain without a strong recommendation to visit the hospital. If there was something Max was sure of, it’s that he’s definitely not fucking crazy. 

When the teen thought about it, his friends _had_ met Jasper before, so they should remember him! 

Impulsively, the raven-haired male ran into the cafeteria, kicking the doors open obnoxiously as he searched for his friends. The action earned a few stares, but they quickly became uninterested. Neil and Nikki were in their usual spot, the brunet poking at his tray while Nikki conversed with Nerris from the table across theirs. 

Max sped over there, slamming his hands on the table and receiving much more attention than he intended to. Nikki looked shocked, but happy to see him again. Neil was still angry, although, taken aback by Max’s behavior. 

“ _Holy shit_ , you want to know what’s wrong?” It wasn’t really a question, seeing as he would tell them anyways. His friends nodded, eagerly anticipating his reply.

“ _Jasper_.” 

Neil and Nikki gave him concerned looks, the brunet speaking up first. 

“Max... we were just little kids. We were so scared out of our minds that we just projected ‘Jasper’.” Max couldn’t believe what he was hearing, so he looked at Nikki for some reassurance. She hung her head low, scratching at a scab on her arm nervously as she agreed with Neil— which was strange considering Nikki had her own way of thinking. 

“Nikki, do you honestly believe what we saw wasn’t real? What about the day everyone got sick and Jasper helped-“

“We weren’t there to see Jasper, Max. You only saw him and when we found you, you were alone and sick. You most likely hallucinated.” There Neil went again, speaking for Nikki. When had she let anyone speak for her? 

“Are you two-?” Max started, curious about their behavior, squinting at them as the darkest blushes spread across their faces. “You’ve got to be shitting me. When...?” 

Aside from the surprise, Max felt a little hurt being left out of the loop like that. Yeah, he was kind of an asshole the last couple of weeks and of course he wasn’t really making any attempt to communicate with anyone other than himself and David, but he at least expected his friends to tell him something important like them starting a _relationship_. 

“Around two weeks ago when you were mysteriously leaving to be an angsty teen and coming back unexpectedly.” Nikki finally said something, giggling softly at her reply. Max wanted to laugh, but instead his stomach ached. 

“Oh. Well. I’m going to go be a uh, an angsty teen now. Later, guys...” The raven-haired male departed from his friends, stomach violently churning when they didn’t even make an attempt to stop him and talk about their relationship. It hurt more knowing they didn’t believe him. But how could they? They don’t even think Jasper is real.

Max rushed out of the building, ready to run towards his special, secluded place in the forest when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned, spotting a familiar camper.

“Space kid?” 

“You do know my name is Neil, right?” 

“It’d be weird calling you Neil when my other friend is also Neil.” The other male chuckled, flashing a warm smile towards Max. He doesn’t remember the last time someone wanted to talk to him or even smiled at him like that. 

“Space kid is fine, I guess. Even if I’m not really a kid anymore. That aside, I heard you mention something about a Jasper?” 

This? 

Now this was unexpected.


End file.
